Green roof: grass roofing technology. Rooftop lawn or roof gardening DIY rooftop lawn

All over the world greening of roofs of buildings becomes. This trend is especially common in Europe and is popular among owners of business centers and hotels. In Russia, this type of building decoration is still poorly developed, however, more and more owners, paying attention to the West, seek to give their buildings unusual view with the help of rooftop lawns and a variety of plants. How to make a lawn on the roof so that it pleases the eye and does not bring problems in the future? The answer to this question will be the article you are reading.

Types of landscaping

Turning to the issue of arranging the lawn with your own hands, it should be noted right away that before starting work, it is necessary to take into account several important points.

1. The roof structure must be strong enough to withstand the weight of such a design, in the event that there are doubts about this, it is better to turn to professionals who will evaluate the strength of the roof of the building.
2. You need to properly calculate your own strengths and finances. If you plan to take all the work into your own hands, then it is best to first try breaking up the lawn on small surfaces, such as the roof of a booth, shed, or garage.

These two points also determine which roof greening path you choose: extensive or intensive. If you plan to do all the work yourself, spending a minimum of financial investment, the extensive method will suit you, it is important to consider that the roof of the building must be horizontal, although this moment German technology has created plant mats that replace the soil layer, which can grow at a slope of up to 45 degrees. The extensive method implies a relatively small load on the roof of the order of 20 kg per 1 m².

The procedure for creating extensive landscaping

1. The technology for creating extensive landscaping is that it is necessary to remove everything from the roof roofing materials- tiles, slate, leaving only concrete surface, which must be prepared in advance: provide a slight slope towards the drain, for example, using a sand-cement screed.
2. Do not forget also about the permeable barrier around the perimeter of the roof, which will not allow the soil to slide, but at the same time will provide an opportunity for water to drain.
3. One of milestones roof construction - waterproofing. It is extremely important to use quality waterproofing materials otherwise, in the future, to eliminate the leakage, it will be necessary to raise the remaining layers of the green roof.
4. After waterproofing, the roof surface is thermally insulated using materials such as polyurethane or corkwood, and then a root-protective film (membrane) is laid, for example, non-woven polypropylene, which prevents the roots from growing into the roof.
5. After that, geotextiles are applied, and then drainage with a layer of 5–7 cm. For example, pumice or expanded clay gravel can be used as drainage.
6. The next layer becomes directly soil 5–20 cm thick, depending on the needs of the plants. For planting plants on the roof, a special lightweight soil is used, which usually includes sand, peat, shale, tree bark(regular soil from a personal plot will not work).

The process of creating a living roof can be simplified if containers, flowerpots or pots with already planted plants are placed on a waterproofed and root-protected surface. This will greatly facilitate not only the process of greening the roof, but will also help in the future with the care of plants, as well as if it is necessary to repair the roof or change the landscape.

German companies have simplified the creation of a green roof by releasing a special ready-made roof lawn, which already has all the necessary layers.

With the extensive method, plants with a small root system can be planted in the ground. fit different kinds lawn vegetation such as:

• ground cover plants;
• plants with fibrous root system;
• meadow and bulbous herbs and flowers.

Feel good, for example:

• saxifrage;
• alyssum;
• oregano;
• Carnation;
• lavender;
• bell;
• sedum.

Shrubs and trees can also be planted, but these should be dwarf, decorative species. When choosing plants, also keep in mind that growing on a roof is akin to conditions on a hill or in the mountains - plants are exposed to direct sunlight and winds. At correct selection plants in accordance with their growth, flowering, as well as optimal watering, top dressing and regular shearing, your living roof will delight you for a long time, and the flowering of some plants will be harmoniously replaced by the flowering of others.

Intensive technology

Intensive roof greening technology is more costly from a financial point of view, but the result is much more impressive. The embodiment of this technology can be seen on the roof of a house, hotel or restaurant, where not only lawns, but also shrubs and even small trees are grown, recreation areas, paths, playgrounds, pools are provided. How to create such splendor is known to specialists in landscape design and professional builders, in this case it is better to resort to their help.

With this technology, the weight of the finished landscape reaches 700 kg per m², so a professional assessment of the capabilities of the building and its roof is necessary.

So you can realize your wildest desires, and place:

• benches;
• sculptures;
• fountains;
• ponds and streams;
• lanterns;
• shaped barriers.

When creating such a garden on the roof, an automatic irrigation system is immediately provided. Professionals recommend starting roof gardening using intensive technology immediately after the construction of the house is completed, and the best option it is considered to include roof greening in the building design.

Greening the roof is quite laborious and costly pleasure from a financial point of view, but the result exceeds all expectations. You get a well-insulated, fireproof, leak-proof and overheat-proof, equipped additional sound insulation the beautiful roof of the building and, of course, the admiring glances of the neighbors.

Video

In this video, you will get acquainted with the plants that are best suited for creating a lawn on the roof and learn what is needed to perform such roof gardening:

In this video, the roof of the gazebo is greened, pay attention to how this is done:

Editor Lawn and soil 4199

In European and American cities green lawn on the roof is no longer a rarity. And in Russia, the advantages of such structures began to be appreciated. Often this is not just a tribute to fashion trends, but the only opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature and breathe in a breath of pure oxygen in the middle of a gassed, dusty concrete metropolis. But the aesthetic role of these mini lawns in landscape design cannot be denied. Such natural roofs also have a number of positive qualities:

• Space saving. In cities today, every square centimeter of space is valued. Therefore, houses often have a minimal courtyard area, or even none at all. Yes and personal plots most of them are small and are occupied by accompanying buildings and structures. And the lawn on the roof of a house, a barn, a garage and even a dog house solves the issue of landscaping the property and does not occupy such necessary adjacent areas.
• insulating properties. Moisture-resistant lining, a layer of soil and a thirty-centimeter-high living plant carpet become additional protection for the roof from the damaging effects of precipitation and sunlight. Such a natural air conditioner protects the roof from overheating in summer and from hypothermia in winter, which significantly reduces energy costs. Multi-layer coating perfectly isolates from street noise. Yes, and the fire can not cope with it.
• Additional functions. If the design of the roof allows additional loads, then on this miniature lawn you can equip a recreation area, sports, a playground for children and even a garden with trees, bushes and flower beds.

Stages of creating a lawn on the roof

Best for green space flat roof. But the latest technology allow you to cover with lawns single-pitched, double-pitched and hipped roofs with a slope of up to 45 degrees (use additional devices to prevent slipping of the soil).

First you need to make sure that the roof structure can withstand the additional load (calculate). For a simple lawn, this is 100 kg of weight per square meter. For more complex - more. If necessary, the roofing system is additionally strengthened and the damaged areas are necessarily repaired. In the future, this will be very problematic.

1. The roof is cleaned and a waterproof layer is created: a waterproofing film is laid and holes are formed for water drainage.
2. Protect the lower film from damage by germinating roots with a layer of dense material, providing a hole for water.
3. satisfied drainage system(more than 10 cm high) using backfill (expanded clay, gravel, etc.) or a special polymer gasket, leaving a hole for water.
4. Evenly cover the area with soil 5 cm thick.
5. Apply fertilizer.
6. Seeds are mixed with sand and spread evenly by hand over the entire area. The first 3 weeks, young sprouts are watered daily. Further - as needed. A self-created lawn on the roof is ready to delight its owners!

Instead of growing a lawn, you can cover the prepared loosened fertilized soil with a rolled professional lawn. This will save time and money, but has its own risks and peculiarities of styling and maintenance. In order not to appear rotten and yellowed places on the grass, it is necessary to assemble the field from rolls within three days, carefully joining the seams. Then mowing, regular feeding and autumn antifungal treatment.

In any option for arranging an environmentally friendly roof, you need to know a lot about all this and have at least some practical skills. It is better to entrust such a serious matter to professional florists and designers.

The roof of a building can be done in different ways. A very long time ago, our ancestors had a rather dark and untidy dugout as housing, which had an earthen rampart instead of a roof. The history of the development of mankind has made its own adjustments to housing construction. The roof of leaves and branches was transformed into red tile and gray slate. But many homeowners miss the pleasant, eye-pleasing grassy-green cover over their heads.

Modern engineering solutions and technologies make it possible to make green roofs for residential and administrative buildings not only in villages, but also in cities. Such an organic solution is timely and very pleasing to the eye. As a facade of a house, almost any roof is suitable for such a roof. Decoration Materials natural origin: stone, brick, wood or ceramic tiles or sandwich panels imitating them.

The traditional device of the green "turf" roof

Not every resident big city there is an opportunity to relax in the forest or breathe fresh air in mountain meadows. Most often, there is simply not enough time to go out into nature. Multi-meter buildings, stuffy streets and scorching asphalt underfoot depress every day. Therefore, many happy owners of private houses strive to realize their desire to communicate with nature in the construction of housing from natural environmentally friendly materials.

Many technical solutions for installation, insulation, decoration and reconstruction of houses, Russian specialists adopted from the experience of the Scandinavian countries. Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish engineers have long been using a number of technologies in construction that are only now becoming popular in our country.

Among them is the same “turf roof”, which is actively being built on residential buildings not only in Scandinavia, but also in some European countries.

The general principle of the green roof in the old Norwegian version was as follows: clay bedding was laid under the turf layer. Its thickness was about 10 cm. Clay simultaneously served as thermal and waterproofing. Under such a system, it was necessary to create very strong bearing structures. Not only did the dirt cake weigh a lot, in winter a lot of snow was added to this load. If the bearing supports were not heavy enough, the inhabitants risked waking up one morning with a pile of earth and snow on their heads. Perhaps in the summer the building looked very picturesque, but the construction of such a roof could not be called cheap. For a while, turf roofs were completely abandoned.

green roof

Possibly interesting constructive solution it would have remained a relic of the past if the new manufacturers had not remembered the well-forgotten old Scandinavian customs.

Modern installation of green roofs

The task of modern specialists was to reduce total weight roof structure. With this technology, it was necessary to keep it decorative look. The main problem was the creation of a durable layer of waterproofing. It had to be dense enough to keep moisture and plant roots out, and light enough not to put a serious load on the roof structures.

The first layer is laid load-bearing flooring. The material is irrelevant in this case. It can be boards or canvases made of pressed chips. A lining is also suitable, but then the cost building materials increases somewhat.

The next layer is insulation. This part of the roof structure should protect the under-roof spaces from the penetration of rain and melt water. In addition, it is he who prevents the germination of plant roots. There are many available in hardware stores. roll waterproofing rubber or bituminous. The choice is large, there is where to turn around.

"roofing cake for a green roof:

Green roof device

The simplest and in a safe way it is logical to complete the installation of a green roof - use as a finishing layer rolled lawn. If the slopes of the slopes are normal, the grass can be planted directly on the ground layer. Before sowing, the soil is compacted with a manual rammer and loosened.

If the slopes are too steep, spring snowmelt or torrential downpours can cause a landslide. As a rule, if the roof slope exceeds 10°, a layer of soil should be laid between special barriers that prevent the soil from "moving" down the roof.

ground fencing

Norwegians and Finns usually do not bother much with the choice of grass crops, so everything that has sprouted itself grows on the roofs. Such a spectacle looks, of course, colorful, but somewhat untidy. Therefore, Russian homeowners prefer to plant a special ornamental grass, which covers the house with an even green carpet.

Let us dwell in more detail on one of the most important layers in the construction of a grass roof - the drainage layer.

Drainage systems for green roofs. Drainage options

Since the water is blocked from entering the house, it must find a way out elsewhere. For this, roof drainage is provided. Without this layer, water will accumulate on the surface of the waterproofing and cause acidification of the soil. This, in turn, will cause the roots and stems of the green roof to rot, ruining the whole idea of ​​a green roof. As a drainage, you can pour a thin layer of sand or gravel. If possible, you can buy lighter coverings such as geotextiles.

Ready-made solutions are often used as drainage systems for green roofs.

Benefits of green roofs

In addition to the obvious advantages (decoration, environmental friendliness and fire safety), a green roof has another advantage. The roofing cake is considered heavy enough to ensure high-quality and uniform shrinkage of the house frame. In summer, the eco-roof protects the building from sunlight entering the attic and creates a comfortable cool temperature in the room.

Exposure of the sun's rays to the conventional and green roof structure

V winter period The herbal design greatly reduces heat loss.

It will not take many years to repair such a roof, and over the years, the appearance of the structure will not cease to delight the eye with its elegance and accuracy.

At the moment it is very popular to use in construction as much as possible natural materials. Very original solution there will be a green lawn device on the roofs. Such a roof looks very unusual against the monotonous background of traditional roofing materials.

Earthen roofing is a fairly ancient way of arranging roofs. But they came into fashion after the triumph of the architect Karl Rabitz.

Areas of use for lawn roofs for sex

Basically, such roofs can be seen in Europe, but today it is stylish. landscape direction is developing in our country. It is quite difficult to decide on the construction of a green lawn on the roof of a residential private house. However, in large industrial cities, such a roof would be very appropriate, taking into account the gas content of the air with toxic emissions and the lack of green spaces.

The best option would be to install a lawn roof on auxiliary buildings: summer kitchen, guest house, garage or gazebo. It can be on the roof of a country house.

Benefits of a lawn roof

The main advantages of an earthen roof are:

1. Aesthetic appearance - such houses look very cozy, creating a feeling of unity with nature.

2. Creativity – Using a lawn roof can make ownership a role model.

3. The use of natural materials - nature itself will take care of improving the microclimate of the house and the surrounding area.

4. Favorable cost earthen roof - the price of the materials used is low, however, one should take into account the sufficient laboriousness of the installation of such a roof.

5. Long service life - with proper care the roof will delight the eye for decades.

Rooftop lawn technology

Creating a living roof includes several steps:

1. As truss system mounted continuous crate from boards.

2. A layer of roofing material is laid for waterproofing, instead of glue is used bituminous mastic. The joints of the sheets are overlapped.

3. Next, a layer of gravel or expanded clay is poured to perform the functions of drainage and thermal insulation.

4. A drainage system is being built from pipes laid in the thickness of the gravel.

7. If the angle of inclination is more than 20°, the structure is additionally fixed with a mesh or crate.

When designing a lawn roof, some features should be considered: high humidity and considerable weight. The requirements for these roofs are moisture resistance, water absorption, and the ability of the structure to support weight. If the requirements are not met, leaks may occur or plants may die. When greening the roof, it must be remembered that the slope should not exceed 40 °.

For many people, the idea of ​​​​a roof will be very attractive, as it combines a special charm, color and personality. It can be arranged as a recreation area, a balcony terrace. Except unusual appearance a green roof purifies the air, protects against heat, and regulates rainfall. If you wish and have a small amount of time and effort, you can independently create a living roof that will combine practicality, accessibility and usefulness.

Characteristic features of the nature of the owner country house or dachas can be called the desire for the improvement of their possessions and the irrepressible craving for creativity, the ultimate goal of which is all the same improvement - the site, house, utility and utility rooms.

Roof greening- a theme loved by many. This process is made even more interesting by the expansion of its scope. Over the past few years, a new trend has been gaining popularity in "suburban" Russia - gardening ... roofs! However, everything new, as you know, is only well-forgotten old. Such floristic delights could be found several centuries ago in the northern Russian villages, and in the Baltic States, and in Finland: the roofs were covered with moss and turf at all in pursuit of beauty - this is how they insulated and strengthened the roof, and the thatched roof was saved from fire (because of overheating in the sun) and putrefaction (exposure to dampness).

What drives green roof lovers today? The answer is obvious: this is the expansion of the useful area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site through the use of other surfaces, and the creation of additional places for landscaping, and the ability to give the house (, shed, pergola, etc.) a non-standard look, and even the creation of new recreation areas.

Extensive Roof Greening Method

This method has 3 features:

• the impossibility of walking through the green space;
• the maximum allowable slope of the surface is 28 degrees.

Irrigation of the surface plays a huge role - if an artificial irrigation system is not provided, take care of the convenience of delivering water to the roof (hose, watering can, impromptu shower).

The main "inhabitants" of the roof are: lawn grasses, sedums, saxifrages. Bulbs can also be planted. The main principle is planting plants that require minimal care and bloom at different times. With a successful selection, you can get a garden of continuous flowering.

Extensive landscaping of the roof can be done on your own. Evaluate the surface being improved. What is its condition: how reliable is the base, what load can it withstand, what is the quality of the roof? Think about the location of the future oasis. It is necessary to take into account the direction of light, illumination, intensity " sunbathing”, openness to winds and precipitation. With this in mind, choose plants for planting.

In addition to drought, there is another enemy of the roof garden - moisture stagnation. In this case, it not only harms the roots of plants, but also significantly increases the load on the bearing surface. So for roofs with a slope of less than 4 degrees, you will have to equip a drainage system. Or to form the desired slope forcibly.

Preparing the roof surface for landscaping

The base is treated if necessary special formulations: primers, fungicides, water repellents. Then a root protective film is laid on it. Remember how a seed brought by the wind to the roof of a building grows into a decent-sized tree, mercilessly crumbling even granite with its roots. The film will allow the roof to avoid this fate. To reduce the load on the roof and avoid slipping of the soil allows the geotextile or.

The basis for planting is usually a fertile layer or substrate (layer thickness 5-20 cm). The mixing of the soil and the drainage layer that occurs over time will be avoided by separating them with a thin geotextile. The roof slope must be well reinforced. With a large angle of inclination, it is possible to prevent the creeping of the vegetative layer using geogrids.

Intensive roof greening method

It is usually carried out by professionals. This is connected with a serious responsibility: the load per 1 sq. m of surface with intensive landscaping is from 150 to 750 kg. Accordingly, increased requirements are imposed on the base. On the landscaped area it will be possible to break not only an ordinary lawn, but also a whole park - with trees, a pond, streams. You can put a gazebo and lights, lay out the paths. Lushly blooming and exquisite mixborders will delight the eye all season long. A automatic system irrigation will solve irrigation problems.

Experts recommend landscaping immediately after graduation. construction works. It is better if the creation of a roof garden is included in the design project - this will avoid disharmony with the main landscape and the architectural appearance of the main buildings.